Terence Crawford believes Jaron “Boots” Ennis will lose to Vergil Ortiz Jr. if he fails to correct one major defensive flaw. The pound-for-pound king warns that Ennis’s habit of exchanging punches will be exploited by a power-puncher of Ortiz’s caliber.
The warning comes after Ennis’s recent knockout victory over Xander Zayas. While Ennis secured a dominant seventh-round finish, he also absorbed clean shots by choosing to fight in the pocket rather than box from a distance. For a technician like Crawford, this willingness to trade is a significant risk against the division’s elite. Ennis relies on his superior speed and athleticism, but that strategy has a clear expiration date.
Crawford was direct in his assessment of what would happen if Ennis gets hit cleanly by Ortiz. “If Boots gets hurt like he did the last time, Ortiz is gonna finish him,” Crawford stated. This isn’t just a critique of Ennis’s chin, but a warning about his in-fight decision-making. Against most fighters, Ennis can recover or overwhelm them after taking a shot. Against Ortiz, he may not get that chance.
The issue is discipline, not talent. Crawford expanded on the specific adjustment Ennis must make to compete at the highest level. “He’s got to tighten up his defence. He gotta stop exchanging. I know he’s faster than most, more explosive than most, but, at the same time, he’s shown in the past that he can get careless and that he’s going out there just to fight. When you get higher and higher, that’s not gonna be enough.”
The potential bout between the two undefeated 154-pounders is one of the most anticipated in boxing. According to reports, Ortiz’s team is ready for the fight, though promotional issues must first be resolved. If the fight is made, the outcome may not depend on speed or power, but on whether Ennis heeds the advice from one of the sport’s modern masters.
